Work-Product Rule Law and Legal Definition
Work product rule is a principle that provides qualified immunity to the work product of an attorney from discovery or other compelled disclosure. The standard was set in the case, Hickman v. Taylor, 329 U.S. 495 (U.S. 1947). The rule was primarily established to protect an attorney's litigation strategy. The rule is codified at Fed. R. Civ. P. 26(b)(3). It provides that work-product material is subject to discovery ‘only upon a showing that the party seeking discovery has substantial need of the materials in the preparation of the party’s case and that the party is unable without undue hardship to obtain the substantial equivalent of the materials by other means.’
Work product rule is also termed work-product immunity; work-product privilege; work-product exemption; attorney-work-product privilege.
